STAMFORD -- All the pieces were aligned for the Trinity Catholic boys basketball team to take its first real misstep of the season. Coming off their toughest game of the year -- both physically and mentally -- facing an opponent talented enough to provide a scare but not heralded enough to appear a real threat, the Crusaders had the trap of their first defeat turning into a losing streak.

And if this was the Trinity team many expected at the start of the season rather than the grittier bunch that has materialized, perhaps it would have suffered a home loss to Danbury on Friday night.

Instead, after being lulled for nearly three quarters, the Crusaders exploded for a 14-1 run before pulling away for a 67-54 win.

"Today we played kind of lackadaisical and picked it up at the end and got the win, and that's all that matters," Trinity's Schadrac Casimir said.

Casimir, who was honored in a pregame ceremony in his first home appearance since scoring his 1,000th point during a holiday tournament, admitted it was difficult to move on from three nights earlier, when the Crusaders gave away leads both at the end of regulation and overtime during a 87-85 loss at St. Joseph.

"That game, words can't explain how bad I feel," Casimir said. "It's still in the back of my head, even now."

That sentiment was likely shared by his teammates, who led from the second quarter on, but never comfortably until their late push.

Brandon Wheeler, setting up in the paint, proved a difficult matchup for the Hatters. He finished with a team-high 24 points. Casimir and Tremaine Fraiser added 17 apiece.

"I don't know if it was question of being flat more than a question of St. Joseph was an emotional game and a tough loss, and coming back to play tonight's game was not the easiest thing to do," Trinity coach Mike Walsh said. "I think we were slow on the defensive end. We were a step slow, but we always seem to find a way to battle and we did."

Danbury's 2-3 zone did little to ignite the Crusaders' energy level, but they compensated with creative playmaking -- most of the 27 field goals were the result of nifty assists and unselfishness.

"I thought we passed the ball really well," Walsh said. "Brandon did a good job finishing, and I thought Danny O'Leary gave us a lot tonight."

O'Leary finished with 7 points.

Danbury (5-5) maintained its streaky ways; it opened the season 0-3, won five straight and on Friday suffered its second straight loss. DanyJoel Harris played a great game, finishing with 30 points, but the Hatters had difficulty generating offense elsewhere and were hurt most by 20 turnovers.

"I think we stayed right with them," Danbury coach Casey Bock said. "Defensively we did a good job of getting to their shooters, Casimir and Fraiser. Wheeler hurt us in the paint. I thought turnovers hurt us. We have to take care of the ball."

The Crusaders reach the midway point at 9-1, something no one would have predicted. It says something that the players feel they should be unbeaten that portends well for the second half of the season.

"I feel we have done well, but it has only been 10 games and we can get a lot better," Casimir said. "Each game we've gotten better and we have to keep getting better. If we do that we will be ready for the playoffs."